Kashmir News Observer (KNO)

Srinagar, December 01 (KNO) : Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) comprising Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik termed the present situation in Kashmir ‘extremely alarming’ as uninterrupted killings, mass arrests, blinding and maiming including of toddlers as eye opener for those who believe in India being the world’s largest democracy. JRL stated that “the way GoI and its installed supporters unleash state terror on people of Kashmir, which is akin to genocide of a people, it is time that every segment and section of our subjugated society forge greater unity among themselves to fight New Delhi’s onslaught in unison and highlight the situation before world.” In a joint statement issued to KNO, they said that “repression in Kashmir is one of its kind that has a parallel in what is happening in Palestine, as GOI takes cue from Israel in new forms of oppression. Lakhs of forces stationed here kill youth with impunity expressing satisfaction as they conduct the infamous cordon and search operations barging into homes, killing youth, thrashing inmates irrespective of their age bombing the house to ground while as people shoulder the coffin of their loved ones on daily basis.” The leadership said that “the war crimes being committed by the lakhs of forces deployed in the length and breadth of Kashmir have reached a stage where forces doesn’t even show mercy at 18-month-old babies and pump pellets into their eyes and snatch their vision.” Leadership said that in order to attract world attention towards the ‘extremely grim HR situation’ in Kashmir, and to show people severe resentment against it.The leadership urged people to observe human rights week from December 3 to December 9. In this connection, candle light and torch procession outside all the masjids and shrines and in every locality and town across Kashmir after Magrib prayers should be held each day of the week. Black flags and banners should also be hoisted, JRL said.The leadership urged members of civil society, Bar Association, Chamber of Commerce, Traders Federation, Employees Unions, social and political organizations, religious groups, and transporters to stage protest at their own level each day from December 3 to December 9. They also urged the religious scholars, Imams of shrines and masjids across Kashmir to raise their voice against repression and to make a fervent appeal to the world community to intervene and build pressure on New Dehli to stop the grave human rights violations in Kashmir. The leadership also urged the world peace organizations, international community, Amnesty International Asia Watch, UNHRC and ICRC to take note of the Kashmir situation where innocent people are subjected to various forms of torture and oppression and build pressure on New Delhi to stop the grave human rights violation forthwith.(KNO)